Marvel’s Eternals has carved something of a niche for itself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, using a somewhat unorthodox approach to its storytelling compared to past installments of the franchise. Overcoming poor critical reviews to become a thematically spiritual film that apparently resonated with fans, if the movie’s initial strong box office receipts following the first weekend of its release is any indication.
But for many, it can be difficult to catch up with all the new characters introduced in the film. In addition to the 10 Eternals, immortal beings created by the god-like Celestials millennia ago to protect humankind from the predatory aliens known as the Deviants, there were a number of other cameo appearances in the film as well.
Spoilers Ahead
Some who’ve glanced at the movie’s IMDB page might mistakenly think Harry Styles is playing one of the central 10 heroes in the film. Though the actor does play an Eternal, he is not a main character in the film, but instead relegated to a cameo during the movie’s mid-credit scene.
The character in question is Eros AKA Starfox, the brother of Thanos.
The mid-credit scene in question shows Eros and Patton Oswalt’s Pip the Troll appear before Angelina Jolie’s Thena, Barry Keoghan’s Druig, and Lauren Ridloff’s Makkari. This all takes place after the Celestial Airshem transports Gemma Chan’s Sersi, Kumail Nanjiani’s Kingo, and Brian Tyree Henry’s Phastos to some unknown location to reckon for their actions.
Director Chloé Zhao apparently personally lobbied Marvel Boss Kevin Feige for the musician-actor Styles to portray Eros.
Styles had apparently been on Zhao’s radar ever since his turn in Dunkirk, saying she thought “he was very interesting” and eventually met him.
“Harry as Eros was very much a package deal for me…I pitched the idea of Pip the Troll [voiced by Patton Oswald in Eternals] and Eros to Kevin a while back, and I love the idea of exploring an Eternal who is beyond Titan and who may have influenced Thanos throughout the years the same way Eternals influenced us, earthlings.”
Eternals is out in theaters now. Be sure to stay seated after the credits roll to catch a brief glimpse of Styles as the more human-looking sibling of Marvel big bad, Thanos.